This invention relates to a holding structure for a displaying apparatus employed in, for example, a word processor or a personal computer. More particularly, it relates to a novel holding structure for a displaying apparatus frequently used in a so-called lap-top word processor or a personal computer in which the displaying apparatus is provided at a portion on the ceiling plate side of an electronic apparatus and turned and opened with respect to the main body of the electronic apparatus to expose the display surface, and in which the mounting manner of the displaying apparatus with respect to the main body of the electronic apparatus is improved to permit the size of the displaying apparatus to be increased as desired.
The displaying apparatus in which the inner side of the lid of the main body of the electronic apparatus contributes to reduction in size of the electronic apparatus, and is frequently employed in, for example, a lap-top word processor or personal computer.
FIG. 1 shows the construction of a conventional lap-top word processor 100.
The word processor 100 shown in FIG. 1 is in the form of a flat rectangular box 101 constituting a main body 103 of an electronic apparatus of the word processer 100. The forward half portion of the ceiling plate side of the casing 101 serves as a displaying apparatus 102, the remaining portion serving as the main body of the electronic apparatus 103. The displaying apparatus 102 is turnably mounted via a hinge 104 at about the center in the fore and aft direction of the main body 103. The inner side of the displaying apparatus 102 serves as a display surface 105, which is presented towards the front side when the displaying apparatus 102 is turned and opened with respect to the main body 103.
An input section 106 is provided on a portion of the main body 103 confronted by the displaying surface of the displaying apparatus 102. This input section 106 faces toward the outside of the main body 103 upon opening the displaying apparatus 102.
The hinge 104 interconnecting the displaying apparatus 102 and the main body 103 is provided with suitable friction means whereby the displaying apparatus 102 may be maintained in the tilted state relative to the main body 103 at any desired angle.
In this type of the lap-top word processor 100, the size of the displaying apparatus 102 is about half that of the displaying apparatus 102. Hence, with reduction in size of the wrap top word processor 100, the size of the displaying surface 105 of the displaying apparatus 102 is correspondingly reduced to affect the visibility of the displaying surface 105.
In order to cope with such reduction in size of the displaying surface of the displaying apparatus, there is known a lap-top word processor 200 arranged as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.
This word processor 200 is so arranged that the size ratio of the displaying apparatus 202 to the casing 201 is increased so that substantially the overall surface, for example, of the ceiling plate side of the casing 201 serves as the displaying apparatus 202, which is connected with a hinge unit 204 to the main body of the electronic apparatus 203 at the respective rear ends thereof.
In this case, the size of the displaying apparatus 202 is not so small as compared with that of the word processor 100, so that it is possible to increase the displaying surface 205.
However, in this word processor 200, a problem is raised that the word processor 200 becomes unstable when the displaying apparatus 202 is in the opened state.
Thus, when the displaying apparatus 202 is opened and erected upright with respect to the main body 203, the center of gravity of the word processor 200 is shifted towards the upper rear side. Since the preferred position of the displaying surface 205 is normal to the viewing direction, the displaying apparatus 202 is used in many cases at a position in which it is tilted at more than a right angle with respect to the main body of the apparatus 203, resulting in increased instabilities of the word processor 200.
Moreover, the hinge unit 204 of the displaying apparatus 202 has its center of rotation arranged at approximately the center of the plate thickness of the displaying apparatus 202 and hence a clearance 206 need be provided to prevent collision of the rear edge of the displaying apparatus 202 against the main body of the apparatus 203 during turning of the displaying apparatus 202 with respect to the main body of the apparatus 203. Hence, as shown in FIG. 3, an upwardly opened groove 207 is necessarily formed between the rear edge of the displaying apparatus 202 and the clearance 206 upon closing the display apparatus 202 to detract from the appearance as well as to permit intrusion of dust and dirt and to affect the opening and closure operation of the displaying apparatus 202.
It is therefore on object of the present invention to provide a holding structure for a displaying apparatus whereby it becomes possible to increase the size of the displaying surface of the displaying apparatus for a word processor or a personal computer.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a holding structure for a displaying apparatus in which the opening angle of the displaying apparatus with respect to the main body of the electric apparatus may be enlarged for realizing better visibility.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a holding structure for a displaying apparatus in which the stability of the electronic apparatus such as a word processor or a personal computer placed on a table may be attained even when the opening angle of the displaying apparatus with respect to the main body of the electronic apparatus is increased.
According to the present invention, there is provided a displaying apparatus for a so-called lap-top electronic apparatus wherein a first holding portion and a second holding portion are provided on both sides of the apparatus, the first holding portion is turnably connected to one end of a holding member having its other end held turnably by the main body of the apparatus, the second holding portion is slidably held by a slide guide member provided on the main body of the electronic apparatus for extending in its fore and aft direction, and wherein friction means are provided at at least one of the swinging portions between the first holding portion and the holding member, between the second holding portion and the slide guide member and between the holding member and the main body of the electronic apparatus.
In the holding structure of the displaying apparatus of the present invention, the displaying apparatus may be reduced in size, since when the displaying apparatus is turned with respect to the main body of the apparatus, the first holding portion of the displaying apparatus is movable vertically with respect to the main body, whilst the second holding portion is movable back and forth with respect to the main body of the apparatus. Hence, shifting of the center of gravity of the displaying apparatus caused by the opening and closing of the displaying apparatus may be reduced and hence the displaying apparatus per se is not affected in stability even when the opening angle of the displaying apparatus in increased.
The above and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description especially when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.